Tire construction.



P. E. WIRT. TIRE CONSTRUCTION. 'APPLIGATIOH FILED JAN. 13, 1909.

Patented Mar. 15, 1910.

I 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

P. E. WIRT. TIRE CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION FILED JANJS, 1909.

Patented Mar. 15, 1910.

4 BHEETS-8HEET 2.

P. E. WIRT. TIRE CONSTRUCTION. 'APPLIOATION FILED JAN.13, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR LEI/2E hrt Allow/Icy Patented Mar. 15,1910.

' P. E. WIRT.

TIRE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 13, 1909.

951,872, Patented Mar. 15, 1910.

4 SHBETS-SHEET 4.

INVENTOR 727/2? firz'ffi Af/ormy PAUL ESTERLY WIRT, OF BLOOMSBURG,PENNSYLVANIA.

TIRE CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mlar. 15, 19110.

Application .filed January 13, 1909. Serial No. 472,127.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PAUL E. VVIRT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bloomsburg, in the county of Columbia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in TireConstruction, (Case E,) of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a method 13 or process of manufacturingpneumatic or analogous tires of a yielding character, and moreparticularly laminated tires of "the character disclosed in co-pendingapplicatlOllS.

The principal object of the present invention is to produce atcomparatively slight expense, a tire of great resiliency, and at thesame time, one peculiarly punctureproof, and of great strength andtoughness to withstand hard Wear, rough usage, and the internal pressureand strain to which it is necessarily subjected.

A further object is to produce a laminated tire structure of separateforming-units so related and associated that the edges of the laminaeare presented at the crest or tread surface of the tire, the jointsbetween said laminae being broken and made irregular in order that anarticle which may enter the tire structure, cannot follow such joints,but must pass through a comparatively great number of the units, andsaid units, being composed of material that will offer great resistanceto puncturing articles will practically preclude their entrance into theinterior of the tire. The accompanying drawings illustrate the variouselements and parts of the tire at different steps in the productionthereof, two slightly different articles produced by the method that iscomprehended within the following claims being set forth, though it willbe evident from said claims that said method is not limited solely tothe production of said articles.

In the drawings: Figure l is a perspective view illustrating a pack ofsheets, from which the forming-units are produced. Fig. 2 illustratesone manner of cuttin the form- 50 ing-unit blanks from such pac Fig. 3

shows the application of said blanks to the tire body. Fig. 4 is a crosssectional vlew through the tire body showing the units in position. Fig.5 illustrates one method that may be employed for crushing down theunits. Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of the tire as treated in Fig.5, and lllustrating the article resulting from the method. Fig. 7 1s aview showlng the manner of producing a different type of forming unlt.Fig. 8 illustrates another manner of producing units of the characterillustrated in Flg. 7,

'by employing a knifeof crescent shape in cross section. Fig. 9 showsthe application of said units to the tire body or case. Fig. 10 is adetail sectional view illustrating the modified form of tire structurecomplete. Fig. 11 is a perspective view illustrating an arrangement ofparts to admit of the strips of forming units being cut at an angle by asuitable knife, and operated manually or otherwise. Fig. 12 is a generalview in perspective illustrative of a. form of power machine which maybe utilized in cutting the crescent type-of forming units.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

In carrying out the method to produce one form of tire, a pack of sheets1 is employed, these sheets being preferably rubberized fabric closelyand adhesively compacted so as to insure the entire removal of the airfrom between them. The pack, as illustrated in Fig. 2 is placed upon asuitable support 2, and clamped by a guide 3. A knife at of any desiredcharacter severs successively from said pack sections 5 which are ineffect forming-unit blanks. A body portion 6, having been produced inany suitable manner, such for instance as by the method described in acompanion application filed January 13, 1909, Serial No. $72,128, thesections or unit blanks 5 are placed longitudinally thereupon, as shownin Fig. 3, producing a structure which in cross-section appearssubstantially as illustrated in Fig. 4E. The tire is then rotatablymounted, as shown at 7 in Fig. 5, and a roller 8 is forced intocompressing engagement with the periphery of the tire by any suitablemeans, as for instance a temper screw 9. This roller is provided with "aconcaved surface, the cross sectional contour of which is the reverse ofthat desired for the finished article. If now this roller 8 is revolvedby-any suitable means, as for instance, a handle crank 10, it will beevident that the units will be crushed inwardly, producing the structureshown in Fig. 6, in which the straight joints are broken and madeirregular against the passage therethrough of an article which mightpuncture the tire.

For producing a slightly different form of tire, a pack 11 of rubberizedsheets is secured between clamps 12, as shown in Fi 7. The

ends of these clamps are rounde as illustrated at 13 and disposed ataninclination,

though they may be arranged perpendicu- 1 ,larly to the pack. A knife14: is employed which is guided by the rounded ends 13, and

thus produces sets of crescent-shaped forming units 15. Instead of thestraight form of hand-knife shown in Fig. 7 of the draw- 15 ings, theremay be utilized, for cutting the crescent type of units, a reciprocatoryknlfe 1(5 of a crescent shape in cross section, and

which may be reciprocated either by hand or power over the roundedbeveled ends 13 of the clamps between which the pack of rubberizedsheets is secured. This form of apparatus, embodying the crescent shapedknife 16 is suggested by the illustration of Fig. 8 of the drawings.These units are placed side by side in closely compacted reation upon,and transverselyof, a tire body 17 shown in Fig. 9, after which they arecrushed inwardly, producing unequal joints as illustrated in Fig. 10.After the production of the article, shown in Figs. 6 and 10,

the tread portion can be covered with soft rubber, and the entire tirevulcanized in the ordinary manner.

.lVhile the method is peculiarly useful in producing the tread portionsof tires, in its broadest aspect, it is not limited thereto, but may beemployed in constructing the body portion or any other portion of atire, and it is intended that the claimsbe so interpreted.

In connection with this method of producing tires, itwill be evidentthat while the structure is built up of single thicknesses of rubberizedfabric, to handle each piece in single thickness and build it into acontinuous tread such as I show herein, would not be at all feasible,but to prepare tread material in body or bulk of any desired thicknessto be cut into longitudinal strips or into crescent-shaped sections,makes it possible to build up the tread with reater rapidity, morecertainty and ease. nother very desirable end accomplished by formingthe material in the manner shown is that it may be laid or piled up inbulk and so rolled or ressed that all air between laminations is orcedout from between the single. thicknesses. If each single'thickness orlamina tion in my tire were handled se arately and built into place,there would 0 necessity be less compactness between leaves and greaterrisk would be run in having air, which is very detrimental tovulcanizing, trapped at different places between the leaves. They couldnot be packed so nicely nor so regu larly. As stated, when there is somebody or bulk to handle in making up the tread in sections, it isaccomplished more rapidly, more regularly, and, above all, with morecertainty as to results, in vulcanizing and in covering with the outerrubber covering.

By way of further exemplifying the invention, there is suggested in Fig.11 of the drawings a plan of placing the pack 11 of rubberized. sheetsbetween clamps or table plates 20 provided with correspondingly bevelededge portions 21 constituting a beveled guide for the edge of thecutting knife 22, and thus providing means whereby the stri s of formingunits may be cut at an ang e for utilization in the manner suggested inmy co-pending applications for patents'. In employing an apparatus ofthis character, that is as shown in Fig. 11 of the drawings, it will ofcourse be understood 5 that the cutting knife employed may be either ahand or power operated knife without in any wayaffecting the essentialsof the process forming the subject matter of this application. Infurther explanation of the distinguishing features underlying thepresent invention, to provide for building up a tire structure ofclosely compacted individual cut forming units, presenting their edgesto the tread or wearing surface of the tire, it may be noted that as tothe means or manner of cutting both crescent shaped and strip-likeforming units, the crescent shaped units may be very desirably pre paredor cut by means of any suitable power 10o mechanism or apparatus, suchfor instance as the machine illustrated in Fig. 12 of the drawings. Thismachine is shown for illustrative purposes to exemplify the use of acomplete ower mechanism for cutting the strips of forming units, and inthe form of machine selected for illustration in Fig. 12 of thedrawings, the same involves in its general organization a verticallymoving straight flat cutter blade designated by the reference number 23,adjustably mounted, as at 24:, within and upon a yoke shaped knife frame25 united at its upper end with a spirally grooved turning plunger 26cooperating with a set screw 27 fitted to a bearing or bearing collar 28at the upper end of a supporting standard 29 mounted upon the machineplatform 80 preferably supported 11 on the leg standards 31. The lowerend of the said knife frame 25 is illustrated as having a connectionwith the upper end of a reciprocal rod 32 o eratively connected with oneend of an oscillating beam 33, the other end of which is connected with,and operated from, a crank 34:v on the main operating shaft 35 which issuitably belted to 'the power. The machine also is shown as emodyin inits organizations. work supporting tab e 36 which'may be raised orlowered to the proper inclination through the medium of a raising andlowering device 37, and upon said table .is supported, in any suitablemanner, the clamp 38-38 between which is held the pack of rubberizedsheets 39 from which the crescent shaped forming units 40 are to cut offat the rounded ends 41 of the clamp members 3838. These are theprincipal and general parts of the suggested type of powermachine shownin Fig. 12 of the drawings, and have been sufliciently indicated to showhow the strips may be cut by power in an expeditious and practicaimanner.

It will be obvious from the construction of machine described, that theblade 23 may be set in such a position that when in its up and downmotion it describes a semi-circle or crescent. Also, any desired size ofsemicircle may be described bythe edge of the blade, according to theadjustment thereof, and in arranging the material, the end of the packor piece of tread material in proper width to make the desired sizecrescent section, is placed upon the table, and fed by suitable means togage against the blade. The edge of the blade, in its operations,circles closely about or against the rounded end of the clamp wherein.the material is held and fed to the blade, so that when the material isfed to gage under the descending cutter, the desired crescent sectionsare successively cut from the end of the pack or'slab of tread material.

It will be understood that the flat straight blade being held in anupright or vertical position on the moving frame cuts or swings in apartial circle as it'descends, and in its upward movement so retires tobegin over the cutting or a,-new semi-circle. ing or holding of treadmaterial to the blade is, as stated, done upon a small flat holdingtable and clamp,'the end of which is rounded to form to the semi-circledescribed by the edge of the moving blade. The table with its clamps isadjustably constructed as explained so as to present the tread materialto the blade at any angle or pitch. By this means sections may be cutat'right angles to the tread material, or the table may be pitched tocut tread material at any desired bevel or angle. These operations mayof course be secured through the medium of any suitable mechanicalexpedients, that is the feeding of the pack or slab of material to gage,and the movement of the cutter in time therewith, but in any form ofapparatus for accomplishing this result, it is necessary to firmly clampthe material at the cutting blades in order that clean cut units may beobtained; As to the cutting of forming unit material into straightstrips, there is, of course, less difficulty, as other simple appliancesmay be utilized for that purpose, such as suggested in Fig. 2 of thedrawings. I

The gag- I11 relation to the fundamental ideas underlying the invention,it is to be remembered that the built-up tire or tread material is ofsuch yielding or molding consistency, owing to its composition when inrubber and fabric, that it conforms readily under pressure to anydesired shape within limits. It will also be remembered, that inbuilding up tires in the usual way the rubbered fabric, owing to thenature of the unvulcanized soft rubber upon the surfaces that it isdesired to contact, such contacted surfaces immediately stick, cling oradhere together. Therefore, in building up my tread, whether in stripsor crescent-shaped sections, the contacted surfaces immediatelyamalgamateand readily and easily permit manipulation into form andposition. structing my tread upon the wearing face of which arecorrugations, studs or bosses, or with a flat face, all of which preventskid. ding,-it is not a diflicult matter to compress the face of thetread into any desired shape for the purpose intended. In all this work,however, I would again call attention to the fact that in thebuilding-up, rolling or pressing the air must be eliminated from betweenthe joints.

I claim: I

1. A method of constructing tires which consists in building-up on theexternal surface of the tire body a separate tread structure bysuccessively laying tread forming units, of flexible sheet material, onedge and in tightly compacted face to face relation with theirouteredges presented toward the wearing surface, and finally vulcanizing thewhole.

2. A. method of constructing tires which consists in cutting fromflexible sheet-material a plurality of similar tread forming units, thenlaying said units'on edge upon a tire body in tightly compacted face toface relation, covering such built-up structure with a rubber covering,and finally vulcanizing the whole. i

3. A method of constructing tires which consists in forming a tire body,cutting from flexible sheet-material a plurality of similar treadforming units, then laying said units on edge upon the body to form aseparate tread tapering in. thickness to the sides of the tire body,said units, being arranged in tightly compacted face. to face relationwith their outer edges presented toward the wear ing surface. v

4. A method of constructing tires, which consists in preparing a pack ofmaterial made up of sheets of fabric adhesively compacted, then cuttingfrom said pack of material similar tread forming sections, thenlaying-up said sections on edge upon a body to present the outer edgesof all of the sheets toward the Wearing surface, and finally vulcanizingthe whole.

Therefore, in con- 5. A method of constructing tires which consists informing a tire body, preparing a pack of material made up of sheets offabric adhesively and tightly compacted, then cutting from said pack ofmaterial similar tread forming sections, then la ing said sections onedge upon the tire bo y to present their outer edges toward the wearingsurface, said sections being laid up on the body successively in face toface contact, and finally vulcanizing the whole.

6; The method of constructing tires, which consists in associating aplurality of tire forming units and crushing said units to break andmake irregular the joints between them.

7 The method of constructing tires, which consists in placing side byside a plurality of tire forming units and crushing said units edgewiseto break and make irregular the joints between them.

8. The method of constructing tires, which consists in forming a tirebody, placing thereupon side by side a plurality of flexible formingunits with outstanding edges and forcing said edges inwardly to crushthe units and break up and make irregular the joints between them.

9. The method of constructing tires, which consists in placing side byside a plurality of tire forming units of rubberized fabric and crushingsaid units edgewiee to break and make irregular the joints between them.

' 10. The method of constructing tires, which consists in forming a tirebody, plac ing longitudinally thereupon and side by side a series offorming units and crushing said units to break up and make irregular thejoints between them.

11/ The method of constructing tires, which consists in forming a tirebody, cutting a plurality of strips of predetermined length intoformingunits, placing said units longitudinally upon the tire body and side byside in closely compacted relation and crushing said units edgewise tobreak up and make irregular thej'oints between them.

12. The method of constructing tires, which consists in forming a tirebody, securing together a plurality of layers of rubberized fabric,cutting from said secured layers a plurality of sets of forming units,securing said sets longitudinally upon the body side by side, andcrushing down edgewise certain of said units to break the joints betweenthem and make said joints irregular.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo Witnesses. PAUL ESTERLY WVIRT.

Witnesses:

KARL F. WIRT, R. L. ORANGE.

